Wire-fence stretcher.



E. R. CARR.

WIRE FENCE STRETCHEB.

Arnmonron FILED MAR. 4, 190a.

Patented Ndv. 3, 1908.

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QRM o %'f7zedses ms uonms PETERS (20., WASHINGTON, n. c.

1E R. CARR;

WIRE FENCE STRETCHER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 4, 190a.

' 902,712, Patented Nov. 3; 1908.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

EDWARD R. CARR, OF AVON, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-FENCE STRE'ICI-IER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD R. CARR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Avon, in the county of Fulton and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful ire-Fence Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for giving the required tautness to wire-mesh fencing or fabric preparatory to securing it to a line of posts alongside a field. I am aware that numerous devices are in use by which this may be accomplished.

However, the principal object of my invention is to provide a very strong, portable device of greater capacity than has heretofore been produced, one which may be handled by a single operator, in which the required tautness is periodically given and by uniform degrees, and which requires no anchor post other than that of the corner post of the fence being erected.

A further object is to provide a device in which the detent is in rear of the drag-hook, whereby the difliculty heretofore experienced in having the latter caught by the usual chain is eliminated.

To the end of carrying out these main as well as subsidiary objects, which latter will be apparent as the nature of the invention is further disclosed, the invention consists in novel structural features and novel combinations of parts, the operation of which devices separately and in combination will be found hereinafter described and made the subject matter of claims hereto appended.

Mechanism showing the structural features, arrangement, connection and mutual relationship of both the still and moving parts of my improvement, together with portions of a mesh-wire fence, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, showing my improvements embodied in the best way now known to me, and show ing also so much of a fence in process of construction as is necessary to illustrate the action of the device; Fig. 2, a top plan; Fig. 3, a detail, a side elevation of the operating devices and connected parts, the proximal side of the framework being removed; Fig. 4,

' a detail, a perspective of the cant-hook; and

Fig. 5, another detail, a rear elevation of the chain-guide or way and detent.

Attention being new directed to the drawings in connection with the numerals of ref- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 4, 1908.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

Serial No. 419,164.

erence thereon, the same one indicating the same part in the different figures, 2 represents a fence post against which the free ends of divergent struts 3, 4 are adapted to abut, the other ends of said struts being tenoned and slipped into keepers 5, 6 respectively above and below the rear, vertical spaced boards 7 of a supporting frame 8, which frame comprises also forward vertical spaced boards 9 and divergent beams 10 11, the forward ends of which are projected through keepers 12, 13 fixed on the inner sides of said struts. The forward end of the upper strut is provided with a tie-chain 14 which may be thrown around the post 2 and secured to any preferred fastening means 15 on the opposite side of the same strut.

Fixed to the rear face or edge of each frame-board 7 is a bracket 16 in the eyes of which brackets is fulcrumed the pintle 17 of a bell-crank lever 18 which has at the free end of its weight arm. another pintle, 19, which is fulcrumed in the eyes of a split bracket 20 fixed to the under side of a drag or cant-hook 21, the forward or hooked portion of which is longitudinally and centrally divided and the points turned backwardly (that it may ride the chain in its advance movement as will be hereinafter described,) and the rear portion of which is fashioned into a handle 23.

The forward end of a bifurcated chainway 24 is fixed between the frame-bars 9 or in any other suitable manner. It is extended rearwardly and slightly arched about its midlength, its rear united end being fixed in any preferred way between the standards 7 Near its rear end its bifurcated portion is bent sharply to form a link-engaging detent 25. One end of a drag-chain 26 is fixed by a transverse pin 27 behind the frame-boards 9, its other end passed around a sheave 27 (hereinafter described,) thence rearwardly over the way 24 and under the hook 21.

28, 28 represent clamp-plates which may be of any suitable construction, and are shown as secured together by bolts 32 and nuts 33, the bolts passing through the meshes of the fence fabric in an ordinary manner.

The sheave hereinbefore referred to is carried in a swivel-yoke 35 secured by a hook 36 to one end of a connecting frame comprising a substantially U-shaped clip 38 and a flat strip 39 held together at one end by a bolt and nut 40 and at the other end by said hook. The clip 38 embraces the plate 28 and together with the strip 39 holds such plate (and by means of the bolts 32) and its fellow securely to be drawn upon to tighten the fence, as will now be described.

Assuming the parts to be in the relative positions shown at Fig. 1, with the lever raised and the bifurcated hook 22 in engagement with a link of the chain 26, the operator will force the lever arm downwardly, thus retracting said hook and drawing the upper flight of the chain the length of two links in the same direction. The gravity of the free end of the chain as it passes over the arciform portion of the chainway will draw a link thereof into engagement with the split detent 25. Upon the lever being released or rocked in the opposite direction the tension will conduce to draw said upper flight of the chain forwardly or in a direction contrary to that in which it was drawn by the cant-hook. This movement will be at once stayed by the automatic engagement of a link with the detent 25. Successive oscillatory movements of the lever will shorten the chain 26 and draw the fence fabric to any degree of tautness desired. Should it be desirable to loosen the chain it may be readily and quickly done by the operator raising the hanolle 20 of the hook 21 with one hand and drawing rearwardly on the sag end of the chain with the other; The frame will be sustained above the ground by the struts and the chain 14, and will be prevented from lateral movement by a leg 42 flexibly connected to one of the frame bars 7 by screw-eyes 43 and adapted to be folded up therewith for transportation. The flexible connection permits also the insertion of the point of the leg into the ground at any desired spot or angle.

In devices of this character of which I am aware the detent has been positioned in advance of the draghook. The latter would, as the operator gave a forward impulse to the actuating lever, very frequently catch in the links of the chain which it engaged, and which links are, of course, in rear of the detent and hanging loosely, thus necessitating the operator stopping to disengage it. In the use of my device, it will be evident that the detent is in rear of the draghook, that the chain is held taut at the point where it is engaged by the hook, and that the latter will readily free itself therefrom as the lever is given the throw last above described.

The advantages of the invention will be apparent and the invention understood from the foregoing description and the" drawings, and while I have specifically described the construction and relative arrangement of the elements of my improvements, yet I do not desire to be understood as limiting my claims to such specific constructions, inasmuch as such changes or modifications may be made as fairly fall within the scope and purview of my invention.

Having thus set forth the construction, the purposes and advantages of the operation, I now proceed to specify what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A device of the character described comprising a frame, a bell-crank lever pivoted therein, a drag-hook pivoted to an arm thereof to be actuated thereby, a chainway fixed in said frame, its rear portion bent downwardly and including a detent, a chain adapted to pass thereover and to be actuated by said hook, a pulley embraced by said chain, means adapted for seeurement to a fence-fabric, and means whereby it may be secured to said pulley.

2. A device of the character described comprising a frame, a bifurcated chainway fixed longitudinally thereof, there being a detent integral therewith and intermediate its ends, struts removably secured to said frame, a bracket on said frame, a bell-crank lever pivoted in said bracket, a drag-hook pivoted to an arm of the lever, a chain adapted to traverse said way, to be actuated by said hook and engaged by said detent, a pulley embraced by said chain, means adapted for seeurement to a fence-fabric, and means whereby it may be secured to said pulley.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing to be my invention 1 hereto subscribe my name in presence of two witnesses.

EDWVARD R. CARR.

Witnesses:

HERBERT E. IRWIN, H. M. RICHARDS. 

